Tesla residual values sink Dutch single-brand leasing firm MisterGreen

December 22, 2025

The Dutch leasing company MisterGreen, which built its entire business around Tesla vehicles, is winding down. Betting everything on one car manufacturer is a risk. The decline in car values has eroded the company’s financial health. MisterGreen is set to close after failing to survive a sharp drop in the value of its Tesla fleet, […]

Fastned surpasses milestone of 50 fast-charging stations in Belgium

December 19, 2025

Fastned, the European pioneer in fast charging, opened two new charging stations this month – one in Genk (carpool parking E314) and one in Veurne (near E40) – thereby surpassing the milestone of 50 fast-charging stations in Belgium. This year, the company opened 16 new charging stations in Belgium. The two recently opened stations are both equipped […]

Belgian rail to index its fares from 1 February

December 19, 2025

The Belgian railway company NMBS/SNCB only launched new fares in October, but another fare change is already on the way. On February 1st, the prices for train tickets and season tickets will be indexed. Tickets will then become 2.14% more expensive, and season tickets 2.60%. However, day tickets for car parking for train passengers and […]

BMW Belux CEO prudently positive about 2026

December 19, 2025

For the 5th year in a row, BMW is the undisputed market leader in Belgium, a unique feat worldwide. BMW Belux CEO Alexander Wehr was, of course, thrilled with this result at the traditional yearly overview. When it comes to the future of BMW and Mini in our countries (and abroad), BMW’s top manager remains […]

Zaventem police have been unable to use Tesla for six years

December 18, 2025

It sounds like something out of Kafka, but the Tesla that the Zaventem police purchased six years ago is still standing in the garage and has hardly been driven at all. The reason? There is no registration certificate for Belgium because the documents are stuck with a Dutch leasing company. The car will soon be delivered […]

Traxio: ‘About 15% of Belgian cars drive with unsafe tire combinations’

December 18, 2025

Almost 15% of vehicles on Belgian roads are driving around with unsafe tire combinations. Mobility federation Traxio reached this conclusion based on a survey of 1,000 drivers conducted last summer. The general condition of car tires, however, has improved, Traxio says. The Rolling Wheel study was carried out by the Federtyre (the Belgian federation of tire […]

Wallonia allows charging stations at all motorway parking areas

December 18, 2025

Wallonia lags behind Flanders and neighboring countries in charging station density. To address this situation, the Walloon government has made two decisions. Firstly, (ultra) fast chargers are now also allowed at motorway parking areas without petrol stations. And secondly, to accelerate the rollout of charging stations, “Électromobilité”, or Electromobility, is being set up, a committee […]

Citizens in Ghent map air pollution from wood stoves to traffic

December 17, 2025

In Ghent (Belgium), more than 250 residents will be measuring air quality in and around their homes for three months. This pilot project, called ‘Luchtmeters’ (Air meters), aims to map particulate matter pollution (PM 2.5), an essential source of pollution from wood stoves, traffic, and industry. The pilot is also intended to share experiences and raise […]

Belgian rail steps up fight against fare-dodging

December 17, 2025

Fare evasion on the Belgian railway company NMBS/SNCB is clearly on the rise. This is once again evident from the results of a recent large-scale ticket inspection. We are observing a similar trend in neighboring countries, along with higher fines. However, there is one notable exception: Luxembourg, because traveling by public transport there does not […]

Rail freight operator Lineas seeks protection through legal channels

December 16, 2025

Rail freight operator Lineas has been operating at a loss for years. After the Belgian government saved the company from imminent bankruptcy in July with a loan that can be converted into shares, Lineas has now applied for a closed judicial reorganization procedure. This should allow the company to reach a restructuring agreement with its […]

ILVO: Flemish gardens store more carbon than cultivated fields

December 16, 2025

Flemish arable land, intensively cultivated and driven over by heavy machinery, has the lowest soil carbon stock per hectare, particularly in the topsoil. Even the average Flemish garden performs better. Frequent tillage, heavy machinery, and limited long-term organic inputs accelerate the decomposition of organic matter, thereby increasing CO₂ emissions. This is evident from the latest […]

Lack of funds prevents Brussels from maintaining its roads

December 16, 2025

Last year, the Brussels-Capital Region spent 3.2 million euros on resurfacing its 800 kilometers of regional roads, well below the region’s own targets. According to De Standaard and BRUZZ, the structural resurfacing program requires an annual budget of approximately 10 million euros to maintain the road network. Every year, at least 10% of Brussels’ regional roads, […]

BYD sets industry benchmark with 250,000-km EV battery warranty

December 16, 2025

Chinese carmaker BYD has announced one of the most generous battery warranties yet. The world’s best-selling EV maker promises a coverage of 250,000 kilometers, up from 200,000 kilometers previously. The increased mileage seems bold, even disruptive, but behind the figure sits a more complicated story about trust, technology, and the yearly mileage European customers cover. […]

Renault Twingo E-Tech Electric: Belgium gets the €19,500 price

December 16, 2025

Renault has put a number on its promise to democratise electric city cars. As promised, the new Twingo E-Tech Electric starts at €19,500 in Belgium, making it one of the very few fully electric cars from a mainstream European brand to slip under the symbolic €20,000 threshold. And that, more than any design cue or technical […]

Belgian rail network fully equipped with cruise control

December 15, 2025

All main lines of the Belgian rail network, covering 6,399 km, are equipped with the ETCS safety system. This train-speed control system continuously monitors speed and intervenes when a train exceeds the speed limit. The rollout by rail network operator Infrabel, which involved installing more than 48,000 beacons in the tracks and equipping more than […]

Last element of Scheldt tunnel successfully immersed

December 15, 2025

On Sunday, the eighth and final element of the immersed Scheldt tunnel in Antwerp was successfully lowered into place. This is a technically demanding operation in which massive concrete tunnel sections are floated into position, then carefully sunk and connected on the riverbed. The final element was inserted between elements six and eight, and there was only 25 centimeters of […]

Skyworth wants to prove that budget-EVs can charge fast

December 13, 2025

Best known until now for televisions and household electronics, Chinese Skyworth has set its eyes on the Belgian car market. To stand out in the plethora of Chinese newcomers, the brand promises an 11-minute charge with grace from the 800-volt network. The question remains whether its K800V SUV can earn enough trust with sharp numbers […]

Brussels Motor Show has high hopes for 2026 edition

December 12, 2025

According to organizer Febiac, the Brussels Motor Show 2026 is alive and kicking. This 102nd edition will feature a record number of participating exhibitors (64), while two-wheelers are back again, with an additional 28 exhibiting companies. Frank Van Gool, CEO at the sector federation Febiac: “Records are always lovely for statistics, but to me it’s […]

Vias: ‘In half of cases, emergency services arrive within 12 minutes’

December 12, 2025

The speed at which emergency services respond is crucial for the survival of road accident victims. The Vias Institute therefore analyzed the time elapsed between answering the emergency call after an accident with injury and the arrival of emergency services at the scene.  In Belgium, emergency services arrive at their destination within 12 minutes (11 minutes and […]

Alstom to slash 150 jobs at Bruges train plant

December 12, 2025

French train manufacturer Alstom plans to cut 150 jobs at its factory in Bruges from mid-2026. Earlier this year, Alstom lost out on a large train order from the Belgian public railway company NMBS/SNCB, which opted for the Spanish company CAF. The unions feared that this would lead to job losses at the Bruges factory, […]

Farmer vs. oil giant trial: TotalEnergies rejects blame for climate chaos

December 11, 2025

TotalEnergies’ lawyers have, in turn, presented their arguments in the so-called ‘Farmer case’, the lawsuit brought by Hugues Falys, an organic farmer from Hainaut, against the French oil giant. Falys holds the energy company responsible for climate change and, consequently, for the storms and droughts that have significantly impacted his business. According to them, a […]

Belgium’s flight tax clash escalates as Ryanair warns of million-passenger cut

December 10, 2025

There has been a flood of reactions to Ryanair’s threats to reduce passenger numbers at Brussels Airport and Brussels South Charleroi by 1 million. Is this a bluff, a negotiating tactic, or will the higher flight tax in Belgium indeed jeopardize Europe’s largest airline’s profit targets? Whichever way you look at it, the International Air […]

All eyes on Brussels: Opel’s new Astra and the fight for its future

December 10, 2025

When the doors of the Brussels Motor Show open in January 2026, all eyes will turn to several ‘world premieres’, and one of them is Opel. The German brand is preparing the fully updated Opel Astra range, including the Astra Electric and the Astra Sports Tourer Electric. And fittingly, Brussels itself has grown in strategic […]

Dutch agree to allow Belgian farmers without tractor G-license (update)

December 10, 2025

Belgian drivers born before 1 October 1982 will not need to obtain a G driver’s license to operate agricultural vehicles in the Netherlands. A new bilateral agreement was announced by Belgian Mobility Minister Jean-Luc Crucke (Les Engagés) and his Flemish colleague Annick De Ridder (N-VA). From 1 January 2026, these farmers may use an EU […]

New intermodal bridge transforms access to Brussels Sint-Job Station

December 09, 2025

In the Brussels municipality of Ukkel/Uccle, the new Carsoel Bridge over the Schaerbeek-Halle railway line has officially been put into service. The new bridge at Sint-Job station looks like a small square and is set to become a central intermodal hub, designed to promote sustainable transport. The revamped mobility project at the station, which welcomes […]

Belgian old seat belt exemptions no longer valid as of January 1st, 2026

December 09, 2025

From January 1st, 2026, medical exemptions authorising the use of seat belts will cease to be valid in Belgium. Anyone who benefits from an old exemption, issued before March 1st, 2022, and whose state of health still justifies the impossibility of wearing a seatbelt, will have to submit a new application. An exemption is only […]

Traffic fines are increasing by 10% – for safety or treasury?

December 08, 2025

Fines for traffic violations will soon increase by 10%; court fines will even increase by 25%. This was confirmed by the office of Minister of Justice Annelies Verlinden (CD&V). In concrete terms, this means that a minor first-degree offense, such as forgetting to signal, will now cost €63.80 instead of €58. A second-degree offense will increase […]

Brussels begins test-drilling in Maximilian Park for heating network

December 08, 2025

In the future, Brussels’ Maximilian Park will also serve as a source of heating and cooling for the surrounding buildings. Test drilling will begin today as part of the park’s energy transition in the North District. Be.SHARE, a project for a low-temperature network, aims to drastically reduce CO2 emissions in the district by replacing fossil […]

Vias study: ‘Why we don’t like each other on Belgian roads’

December 08, 2025

According to a recent study by the Belgian road safety institute Vias, there really is an “affective polarization” in traffic ─ negative feelings and hostility ─ between different groups of road users. People clearly rate their own group more positively than others, with particularly negative feelings toward e-scooters and cyclists. In an urban context, these tensions […]

Fiat Grande Panda and Dacia Bigster winners of VAB’s family car election

December 05, 2025

For the 39th edition of the Family Car election by Flemish mobility club VAB, the participating journalists and VAB members could choose from two pricing categories. In the past, there was a third category for electric cars, but it has since been abolished as more affordable BEVs have entered the market. This year, (partial) electrification […]

Europe agrees to adopt Belgian Car-Pass system to combat odometer fraud

December 05, 2025

There is an EU agreement for a system like the Belgian Car-Pass, at least if it is up to the European transport ministers. With this initiative, Europe aims to tackle odometer fraud in second-hand vehicles across the European Union. The mandatory registration system is primarily based on the operating principles of the Belgian Car-Pass, a […]

New analysis offers a sharp snapshot of Europe’s fast-shifting EV market

December 05, 2025

Despite the (mostly German) carmakers’ lobbying to hit the brakes and give ICE another chance, Europe’s electric-vehicle landscape is shifting fast, and a new analysis from TradingPedia offers an unusually detailed snapshot of which brands and models are winning the race in 2025. TradingPedia, a Bulgarian financial analysis platform that frequently works with industry datasets, […]

Poppy launches new flexible, short-term private leasing formula

December 04, 2025

Poppy, the D’Ieteren-owned mobility provider with its iconic red cars, is today launching Poppy Lease, a 100% digital, flexible offering for Belgian private individuals and the self-employed. The project actually started three years ago under the name MyPop as a test phase. Belgium lags far behind its neighbours in private leasing. A study by Renta, […]

Nissan Belux deploys plans for 2026

December 03, 2025

A lot is going to happen for Nissan Belux in 2026. The recently launched Micra and Leaf are ready for sale; other BEVs are coming. Secondly, Nissan will again be present at the Brussels Motor Show (BMS) in January. Thirdly, Nissan Belux, part of Nissan eNEST (Benelux plus three Scandinavian countries), will be selling the […]

Lizy’s used-car leasing proclaimed ‘Scale up of the Year 2025’

December 02, 2025

On Monday, the Brussels-based company Lizy, which specialises in the digital leasing of reconditioned used cars, received the ‘Scale-up of the Year 2025’ award, marking a milestone for a company that has reshaped one of Europe’s most traditional sectors. The award is granted by EY Belgium, in partnership with BNP Paribas Fortis, L’Echo, and De […]

Kia picks Brussels for its Europe-only ‘affordable’ EV2 world premiere

December 02, 2025

Kia officially confirmed on Tuesday that its all-new EV2 will make its world debut at the 2026 Brussels Motor Show in January 2026, a decision that places Europe firmly at the center of the brand’s electric ambitions. The EV2 has been designed from the start as a European car. It will be the smallest member […]

Brussels North Station recognized as a monument

December 01, 2025

Large parts of Brussels North Station have been recognized as monuments. These include the clock tower, the facades in natural stone and beige brick, the large ticket hall “with its monumental U-shaped staircase,” the seven platforms, and the remaining wooden benches on those platforms. The North Station, located in the Brussels municipality of Schaerbeek, was […]

Doel 2 nuclear reactor permanently disconnected from grid after 50 years

December 01, 2025

After operating for 50 years, the nuclear power plant Doel 2, on the banks of the river Scheldt, was finally shut down on Sunday evening. It is the fifth Belgian reactor to be disconnected, after Doel 1 and 3, and Tihange 1 and 2. Doel 3 was disconnected in 2022, Tihange 2 was shut down […]

More than 5,000 Airbus A320s get major safety software update

December 01, 2025

European aircraft manufacturer Airbus has issued a software update for its A320 Neo aircraft. This was prompted by a recent incident involving a JetBlue Airways Corp. aircraft. According to Airbus, this incident showed that intense sunlight can affect critical control data, potentially forcing the airplane into an unexpected dive. Initially, there was talk of a […]

Brabant lowers blood alcohol limit for driving licence revocation

November 28, 2025

In the province of Flemish Brabant, driving licences will now be revoked at a blood alcohol level of 0.35 mg/l, down from 0.50 mg/l. With this measure, the public prosecutor’s office of Leuven and Halle-Vilvoorde aims to further increase road safety in the province. The measure to lower the blood alcohol threshold comes on the […]

Bolt’s shared e-scooters break records in Antwerp

November 28, 2025

While micromobility in Belgium usually slows down from the end of September – due to the weather and shorter days – the Bolt shared e-scooter platform in Antwerp is seeing continued growth, with a record month in October. Since the launch of the fleet of about 1,000 e-scooters in Antwerp in March of this year, usage […]

Ryanair: ‘Belgium shoots itself in the foot with new tax on air travel’

November 27, 2025

According to Ryanair, Belgium is pricing itself out of the market now that the De Wever government has decided that the flight tax will be €10 for all flights from 2027, while other countries are reducing or completely scrapping their taxes. However, the Irish low-cost airline’s comment should be taken with a grain of salt. […]

BMW Belux delivers largest ever order of 723 electric cars to PwC

November 27, 2025

PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Belgium has placed an order with the BMW Group Belux for 723 full electric vehicles. With this order, PwC will add 300 new Mini Aceman models to its fleet, along with 423 BMW iX1 eDrive20 models. This brings the total composition of PwC Belgium’s fleet to 90% electric and/or hybrid vehicles, of which […]

How Kia’s EV3 propels the brand to the front of Belgian EV market

November 26, 2025

On the Belgian car market, where company cars account for more than 60% of registrations, no electric model has made a louder entrance this year than the Kia EV3. With 39% of its cars sold being purely EVs, Kia scores higher than the Belgian market average of 33%. And by launching a new EV4, EV5, […]

Judges to be replaced in the Belgian farmer vs TotalEnergies case

November 26, 2025

The trial in the case brought by Hugues Falys, a farmer from Hainaut, against oil giant TotalEnergies has only just begun, but has already taken a surprising turn. The judges who were to preside over the case will be replaced. The reason for this reshuffle? One of the three judges on the court has withdrawn […]

Belgian air passenger tax to double from 2027 for flights over 500 km

November 25, 2025

From 2027, the air passenger tax in Belgium will increase for flights over 500 kilometers from €5 to €10 per departing passenger. This is the second time in this legislative period that the federal government will increase the tax on airline tickets. Brussels Airlines points out that it cannot pay the additional tax out of its […]

Infrabel allocates €200 million for military transport infrastructure

November 24, 2025

Belgian railway infrastructure manager Infrabel is allocating 200 million euros to strengthen the infrastructure for the transport of heavy military equipment, according to RTL info. The money will mainly be used to reinforce bridges, widen tunnels, and develop new tracks, particularly around the ports of Antwerp and Zeebrugge. The investment is in line with the European […]

After hydrogen, Antwerp launches its first fully electric waste truck

November 24, 2025

Antwerp has taken another step toward cleaner and quieter waste collection. The city officially put its first fully electric refuse truck into service, expanding its zero-emission ‘fleet’ of two hydrogen-powered vehicles. Across Europe and beyond, several recent case studies show that electric waste collection trucks are becoming increasingly competitive with their diesel counterparts. While the […]

Ghent and Antwerp in top 10 most bicycle-friendly cities in the world

November 21, 2025

Ghent ranks third in the Copenhagenize Index of the world’s most bicycle-friendly cities, after Utrecht and Copenhagen. The index is compiled every two years by the Danish consultancy Copenhagenize Desing Co., an agency specializing in bicycle strategy, urban planning, and mobility, and is considered an international benchmark. Antwerp ranks eighth. Brussels, the only other Belgian […]

Magnus Nilsson succeeds Stefan Fesser as plant manager of Volvo Car Gent

November 21, 2025

On January 1st, 2026, Magnus Nilsson will take over as the new CEO and plant manager of Volvo Car Gent from Stefan Fesser. After more than seven years, Stefan Fesser will take on a strategic role within the company. Magnus Nilsson (58) was born in Sweden. He has worked for Volvo Cars since 1988, in various […]

Coyote: ‘Men drive faster than women’

November 21, 2025

We already knew that men have a reputation for driving faster, but now Coyote, a pioneer in driver assistance, confirms this with its own research. In September, Coyote researchers collected data on the driving behavior of men and women in Flanders, Wallonia, and Brussels. During this period, the average speed of women on highways in Flanders was […]

MG pushes deeper into EV family market with roomier S6 EV

November 21, 2025

Chances are high that you’ve seen this S6 EV before. In the summer, this SUV was inadvertently published on Euro NCAP’s test publication pages ahead of its official reveal. MG has finally unwrapped the full specs of its latest addition to its electric portfolio. It’s an SUV destined for families who have outgrown the S5 […]

Three-day strike to paralyze Belgian public transport and air traffic

November 21, 2025

Belgian trade unions are organizing three national days of action against government policy on November 24, 25, and 26. On Monday, November 24, they are calling for a rail strike. This will be followed by strikes in all public services and the education sector the next day. Finally, on Wednesday, November 26, the unions are […]

Facing climate damage, Walloon organic farmer sues TotalEnergies

November 20, 2025

The trial of Hugues Falys, a farmer from Hainaut, against TotalEnergies has begun before the Commercial Court of Tournai. At the beginning of 2024, with the support of Greenpeace and others, the farmer sued the French multinational for his role in climate change. The first climate case brought by a citizen against a multinational in […]

Belgium and Brazil sign memorandum of understanding on green hydrogen

November 19, 2025

On Tuesday evening, Belgium and Brazil signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on the sidelines of the reception for the Belgian delegation at the UN climate summit COP30 in Belém, Brazil, on cooperation in green hydrogen. Green hydrogen, generated in Brazil, will flow to Belgium in the future, and Belgium will, in turn, use its know-how […]

First new ‘long’ tram for Brussels MIVB/STIB

November 19, 2025

The Brussels public transport company MIVB/STIB has taken delivery of the first brand-new Tram New Generation (TNG). This extended 42-meter version will run on the transport network from 2026. Before it can be put into service, the tram still must pass several tests. The tram, built at the Alstom factory in Vienna, arrived at the […]

Almost 6,000 cases of aggression against Belgian public transport staff

November 19, 2025

Last year, Belgium’s four public transport companies recorded 5,908 cases of physical and verbal aggression against their staff. That is an average of more than 16 cases per day, or an increase of approximately 5.5% compared to 2023. According to NMBS/SNCB, Flemish De Lijn, Brussels MIVB/STIB, and Walloon LETEC, the number of aggression cases has […]

COP30: ‘Belgium drops two places in climate ranking’

November 19, 2025

Belgium ranks 37th on the Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI), the annual ranking of climate performance by environmental NGOs. This means the country has dropped two places compared to last year. The CCPI evaluates the climate‐mitigation performance of 63 countries plus the European Union (EU) — together covering more than 90 % of global greenhouse […]

Antwerp launches a pedestrian program to encourage walking

November 18, 2025

The city of Antwerp has drawn up its first specific ‘pedestrian program’. The program aims to increase the number of journeys made on foot. The program is an important part of the desired ‘modal shift’, in which journeys by private car are replaced as much as possible by more sustainable alternatives. Because “if we make […]

New campaign aims to encourage truckers to buckle up

November 18, 2025

On Monday, the Flemish Road Safety Foundation (Vlaamse Stichting Verkeerskunde, VSV) and the federal road police launched a campaign in Gentbrugge to increase seat belt use among truck drivers. Not an unnecessary campaign, it turns out, because one in nine truck drivers seldom buckles up. The campaign’s slogan in Dutch is “Een echte draagt ‘m” […]

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